Fate, and Then Some
by TitanSlayer99
Summary: Eren is a 22 year old who works at Levi's Coffee Shop and lives a boring, uneventful, and lonely life. Until, that is, he encounters a woman who will change his life forever. Mostly ErenxMikasa with some ArminxAnnie and LevixPetra. Rated T for language and suggestive themes, may change to M in future chapters for sex and darker themes. PLEASE leave a REVIEW and enjoy!
1. The Encounter

"Shit, not again," Eren muttered as he spilled yet another cup of coffee. He unrolled some paper towel and began cleaning the mess, some coffee seeping into his white apron.

Eren yelped as he felt a small yet strong hand smack the backside of his head. "Hey!" He flipped around to look at his boss accusingly.

Levi simply tsked and scowled. "You do it one more time, and you're fired. Got it, brat?" Then, the short, menacing man turned his back and walked back into his office.

Eren mumbled curses as he threw the coffee-soaked towel into the garbage, and walked over to the counter to continue his seemingly eternal shift.

The auburn-haired boy wiped the counter with a cloth, and sighed deeply as he leaned onto his elbows. Today was another ordinary day at Levi's coffee shop: boring and lifeless. The beige wallpaper and floor tiles only dulled the room even more. He questioned Levi about his décor style, but always received the same response: a glare from the short man and a "It's easier to clean."

Eren did not enjoy anything about his job other than the fact that it was calm and peaceful, but could drive a person mad with boredom. As a twenty-two year old with no college degree, there were few options, and this one had a good pay, so Eren decided to just put up with it.

Eren waited for a while, half-asleep, before lifting himself off the counter. It was late and pretty dark, so he didn't see the need in staying and rotting in the shop any longer. He was about to call out to Levi to get an early leave, but stopped when he heard the door ring… customer.

Eren bit back a sigh and tried his best to put on a smile, but utterly failed. He continued looking down and began speaking as the person walked towards the counter: "Hello, welcome to Levi's coffee shop."

Eren raised his head, and stopped dead in his tracks upon sight of the woman. She was no older thn Eren, and had chin-length black hair which faintly illuminated due to the moonlight entering through the window. Her flawless face bore slightly slanted eyes, shaded by long, luscious eyelashes. Her pink, parted lips stood out in her creamy, pale skin. What captivated him the most were her dark eyes, which were like bottomless pools of ink.

Her voice snapped him back to reality: "Um… hi. I'll have a medium dark latte."

Eren broke into a blush, realizing he had been staring. "Uh-um, sure!" he blurted out as he flipped around and fumbled with some foam cups. He grabbed the medium-sized one and began pouring her drink, his hands shaking for an unknown reason. _What is wrong with me? Why am I so nervous?_ Eren lidded the cup and placed it into a brown paper bag, then he pulled out a sharpie.

"Mikasa," the woman stated.

Eren began sharpie-ing her name onto the bag. _Mikasa_, he pondered her name. No doubt she had some foreign blood in her, probably Asian.

Eren put a curl on the last 'a' in her name, and extended the bag towards her. Their fingers brushed upon the exchange, and Eren flushed. He was about to turn around and hide his face until he noticed that Mikasa was also blushing. At that moment, Eren also noticed that she had been fidgeting and maybe even staring at him. _Is she… nervous, too?_

Then, Mikasa quickly turned around and said a soft, "Thanks." When she began walking towards the exit, Eren felt something pull on his heart. _Don't go_. Before Mikasa was out the door, Eren noticed her hesitate. It was slight, but he noticed. _Why do I feel like I should have gone after her?_

Eren simply stared at the doorway, pondering his pathetic conversation with the woman.

After a minute, Eren saw Levi walk towards the door and say, "You can go now, lock up." The short man placed the keys on the counter, which also meant Eren had to come early the next morning to prep the ingredients and materials.

Eren folded his apron and threw it into the bin beside him, he would have to wash the coffee stain out. Then, he grabbed the keys on the counter, shut the doors, and locked them tight. The shop was small and had the letters "Levi" strung into the banner. Levi once told him that when Petra worked there, the shop was a lot more famous and efficient, but since she passed, things have been a lot duller, if that was even possible in Levi's shop.

Eren turned around and began his daily night walk back to his apartment.

He fiddled with the hem of his shirt as he stared at the sidewalk below him, the meeting with Mikasa still itching at his mind. _What us up with me? She was just another customer._ Eren shook his head in vain. It was like they were on the same wavelength: blushing, turning, and fidgeting at the same time.

Suddenly, a finger plunged into his back, snapping him out of his trance. Eren squeaked and leaped into the air.

Eren heard a familiar laugh, and rage consumed him. "Armin! What the hell was that for? Don't go scaring people late at night!" Eren angrily marched towards his best friend.

Eren thought it was weird how they were friends, as they were almost complete opposites. Eren first met Armin when they were six, when he protected him from a group of local bullies. Ever since that encounter, they had been best friends. Armin was intelligent, a little too much at times, but was there for Eren when he needed him, and that was all that mattered.

He was also, unfortunately, a sick prankster. Armin chuckled and threw a satchel over his shoulder. He bobbed his head forward, "Let's go."

Eren and Armin usually walked back from work together, since they lived in the same apartment complex. However, Eren was not expecting Armin this late at night.

After a few moments of silent walking, Eren began speaking: "How come you're out so late?"

Armin fumbled with the bag around his shoulders and paused before speaking. "I decided to close up the bookstore a little late, is all. Since grandpa passed, the shop was mine so I can close up late if I want," Armin was speaking incredibly fast.

Eren could see the lie glued onto Armin's face and flashed him a grin. "You were waiting to see if that girl would come again, weren't you?"

The short blonde flushed and stuttered uncontrollably. "W-What? I-I, w-wait, it isn't like that. I mean it kinda is, b-but that isn't the point!"

Eren began laughing, teasing has always been a hobby of his. Eren regained his composure and held his hand to his chin in thought. "Wait, what was her name again?"

Armin answered in a split second, "Annie Leonhardt."

Eren looked over at Armin with another teasing smirk, causing Armin to freak out even more. This process continued until they were at the crossroads of the apartment complex. There were multiple building on each side of the crossroads, and Armin was unable to find an apartment on Eren's side when he moved in, so he had to improvise. They always wanted to live close so it would be easier to hang out.

"Alright," Eren began his farewell, "See you later, Armin."

The blonde nodded and began walking in the other direction towards his apartment, but suddenly tripped on something in the dark. Armin let out a shriek, but Eren caught his wrist before his chin connected with the ground.

Eren reeled Armin back to his feet and patted his back, "You okay?"

Armin sighed and put his hand on his head. "Yeah, thanks. I guess I'm just tired."

"No problem." Eren looked downwards and noticed something glinting on the ground. "Hey, I think you dropped something," he said as he bent down and picked it up.

Armin suddenly threw his hand out in an effort to grab it, "It's nothing, give it!"

Eren raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't want me to see?" He smirked as he fought off Armin's attempts to grab the object from his hands.

Eren studied it and noticed it was a picture of a short, blonde woman, with eyes so blue Eren could see them in the dark. She was looking through shelves in…_ is that, Armin's bookstore?_ "Armin, is this-" Eren began.

"No! No!" The short blonde yelled as he ripped the picture from Eren's grip. "I-it's not what it looks like. I was taking pictures for the store's website, and s-she just happened to be in it!"

Eren smirked and began chuckling. "Mmhm, just by coincidence," he said teasingly.

Armin blushed furiously and sprinted away, disappearing into the dark.

Eren grinned in the direction of his best friend, then he turned around and began walking towards his own apartment.

_That guy_, Eren thought. It surprised him that Armin would actually go to the extent of taking a picture of Annie. _He must really like her, it must be fate._ Eren huffed. Fate was a funny word, a word that couldn't be trusted. Fate proved him that when his mother died in a car accident and his dad went unstable. Out of the blue, an image of Mikasa flashed in his mind. _But maybe…_

As if on key, Eren heard a soft, but sad sob echo around the corner of his apartment building. Eren paused and heard the sobbing continue. He crept towards the corner and turned it, trying not to be caught.

He saw a woman sitting on a bench near a large tree. She had her hair mopped over her face, and her head was in her hands. She was trembling, and Eren noticed the sparkling tears running down her arms and soaking her sleeves. She wore a simple blouse in the chilly night-_No wonder she's shivering,_ Eren realized.

Something about the woman drew him to her, and without realizing it, Eren was standing beside the bench she was sitting on.

The woman noticed Eren standing next her, and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. She turned around and revealed her face.

Eren gasped as he stared at the woman he had met in the coffee shop. "M-Mikasa?" he stuttered.

She raised an eyebrow before leaping out of her seat and straightening her hair, surprising him. Then she gazed into his eyes and said, "I-it's you. From the shop, I mean."

Eren scratched the back of his head, looking down. "Y-yeah. Umm, it's Eren."

Mikasa blinked, the wind tousling her hair around."Oh.. hi then, Eren," she muttered. Then, she sat back down on the bench and stared into the thin air ahead of her, as if she was staring at a different universe.

Eren took a risk and sat at the edge of the bench. _Is this right? _He continued staring at nothing, afraid to look at her, afraid to get caught in her trance once again. He grew impatient, though, the tension in the air was crushing him. He quickly stole a glance, and was surprised to see her doing the same, before quickly turning her head around. _Was_, Eren thought in disbelief, _Was she staring at me this whole time?_

This, however, gave Eren the courage to speak: "H-how was the c-coffee?" A moment after asking, Eren wanted to smack himself so hard his head would fall off of his body. _What the HELL kind__ of question is that?! _There were a few seconds of painful silence before Mikasa answered: "G-good."

Eren did not fail to notice her stutter. _Is she nervous too?_ "Uhh," he started as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket, "It's pretty cold, don't ya think?"

Mikasa teeth chattered in response, "Yeah." She rubbed her hands and feet together.

_Come on, Eren, think! She's cold!_ A light bulb flickered on over Eren's head as he pulled off the maroon scarf around his neck. Trying his absolute best to not make eye contact, Eren leaned towards Mikasa and sheepishly threw the scarf around her slender neck.

Eren heard her breathe sharply and couldn't help but look at her. He was, once again, entranced by Mikasa's beauty, and gazed into her grey orbs. She was also staring back at him, and Eren noticed a scarlet blush flood her pale complexion, and realized he was blushing as well.

He turned his head in the other direction and quickly said, "Keep it."

Eren's eyes ogled back towards Mikasa, and he noticed her snuggling into the scarf and gripping it with her hands. He swore he saw the slightest of smiles tug at her chapped lips.

Eren glanced at his watch and almost fell out of his chair when he saw what time it was: **2:00 PM**. He had to be in the shop by 6:00 AM to prep it for the day.

"Shit," he said out loud. He turned towards Mikasa, who looked at him back, with the scarf covering most of her face. "I've got to go and sleep. I need to prep the shop really early," he paused, "Well, today, actually."

Eren reluctantly got up and was about to head for his apartment, but stopped when he felt a hand grab his wrist. He turned around and saw Mikasa, tear stains still marking her face, but retaining a stoic expression.

She pulled the maroon scarf down slightly, revealing her mouth. She waited a second before saying in a soft, yet firm tone: "I always get coffee during my lunch break."

Eren stood there stunned. Then, he grinned and nodded in response. He didn't want to leave her in the dark. Something about Mikasa's expression and the way she was crying made Eren want to just give her a hug. Instead, he offered: "Y-you want me to walk you to your apartment?"

The dark-haired girl shook her head, and Eren's heart dropped in disappointment. She swallowed and continued: "It's alright, I live right over there." She pointed to the building opposite to Eren's.

Eren wondered why he had never seen her before, but concluded that she must be new in the area. "Okay," he finally responded.

Without knowing, Eren realized he had been holding her hand. He quickly retracted it and turned his head to hide his blush. "See ya." Then, he walked towards his apartment's door. Luckily, he lived on the ground floor so it was easy access. Eren turned the key in the doorknob, unlocking it, and stole one last glance behind him. He saw Mikasa in the same position he was in: door slightly opened, and looking back at the other. Out of embarrassment, Eren quickly stepped into the building and shut the door behind him. He leaned back against the wood for a moment, sighing heavily. Then, he began walking towards his apartment door. He felt like every limb of his body was made of lead, and that he could sleep for an eternity. He was almost at his door when he heard a familiar voice.

"What's up, kid?" It was the throaty, choppy voice of a drunkard.

"Nothing, Hannes." Eren sighed, "Levi just kept me up late."

The tall, blonde man rested a hand on Eren's shoulder. "Nothing a good drink won't fix," he offered, extending a bottle of champagne towards Eren. Hannes breath was intoxicating and repulsive.

Eren waved his hand and continued walking. "I just need sleep." He heard Hannes whining about him not appreciating alcohol. Eren unlocked his door and walked directly towards his bed, collapsing instantly. _No time to brush or change, just sleeeeeep_.

Eren rolled onto his back. He raised his calloused palm and traced the lines with his thumb, remembering Mikasa's hand in his. _You can't always trust fate, _Eren thought as he drifted off into sleep with images of Mikasa playing through his mind, _but maybe, just this once._


	2. Good Feeling

"So, Eren," Jean started nonchalantly, "How about that employee of the month award?" Jean continued to smirk and lean on his elbow.

Eren did not spare the horseface a glance as he continued to wipe the counter clean. "I don't really care. You know Levi doesn't, either. He just rolls a die," Eren replied with a sigh.

Eren sat down on a stool, there was no need to strain his legs standing since there was no sight of customers. Jean's constant pestering did not help at all. For some reason unknown to Eren, Jean just happened to be a natural ani-thesis to Eren, and because of that, they fought… a lot.

Jean snorted, his smirk wavering but still ever-so-present. "That's your only excuse for why I won more times than you, Jaeger." The ash-haired man pointed to the wall, where multiple pictures of Eren and Jean were hung. Above the picture frames were the words: "Employee of the Month," where just a tad more pictures of Jean hung than Eren.

Eren shifted his body towards Jean and brushed his apron. "Jean, you were out for two weeks last month, and you still won." Eren raised his eyebrow, "And you actually still think Levi particularly chose you?"

Jean huffed and turned around. "It's quality not quantity, Eren," Jean retorted as he hung his head in defeat and marched away to reorganize the coffee bags.

Eren released another sigh, this time deep and tired. Usually, he would be passed out on top of the counter, but he was excited today: Mikasa was coming. He never knew why he was so anxious for her arrival, but something felt so_ right_ when they spoke together, like it was meant to be.

The emerald-eyed man glanced at his wristwatch to observe the time: **12:30 PM**. _Mikasa should be coming any minute now,_ Eren thought. He hadn't noticed he was fidgeting until now. _Damn, she can't see me like this… this… nervous._

Eren kept a constant lookout through the window, in case he saw her coming. His stomach churned and growled, and he realized he didn't eat at all today.

Eren undid the straps of his apron and tossed it aside into a bin. Then, he knocked on the door of Levi's office and asked: "Can I take a lunch break, here?"

Levi was reading a new paper with his legs crossed over his desk. The man didn't even bother looking up at Eren, he simply replied: "Whatever, you have one hour."

Eren nodded and closed the door. The shop was empty, so there was no trouble for him in finding a seat. He remembered that once upon a time, the shop was so busy and packed that all the tables were full of people. Jean, Petra, and Eren had to work their asses off in order to fill the orders. That was, of course, when Petra was still alive. The plane that crashed with her in it also took the shop with her. It is no longer the bustling hub it used to be. Now, it is nothing more than a wasteland.

Eren leaned back again a chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. He grabbed a loaf of pound cake in the display next to him, he would have to pay later.

As soon as Eren placed the first piece of soft, milky pound cake between his jaws, he couldn't slow down. He was so starved and entranced in eating, that he almost didn't notice the door open and the bell ring.

Eren quickly brushed the crumbs out of his face and shot up straight, fearing that the person would be Mikasa. He _definitely_ did not want her to see him as he was: a rabid animal with a crave for cheap pound cake.

Upon sight of the woman, Eren let out an audible sigh of relief. It was Annie. The short, blonde, an icy-blue eyed woman, who was the same age he was, often came to the shop. This, of course, attracted Armin as well. She would request a small order: a cup of coffee or a slice of bread, and she would sit alone at a table, staring into space. Eren almost pitied her, but he knew how little emotion she could have. Surprisingly, Jean had told him that sometimes she would enter the shop and look around, then, she would just leave. Eren, however, as never witnessed this, and simply interpreted this information as some more of Jean's bullshit.

Annie scrutinized the counter, as if looking for something hidden. Jean, as the idiot he is, took this as her checking him out. The horse face leaned onto his elbow and rested his face on his knuckles, flashing the blonde woman with his signature grin. Eren rolled his eyes.

Annie then turned around and headed towards the exit, confusing Eren. He placed his sliver fork down onto the table, causing a slight ringing sound to reverberate around the shop. At hearing this, Annie's head glanced over and her icy eyes widened at the sight of Eren. Suddenly, she turned around and started walking towards the emerald-eyed boy, surprising him.

Annie stopped at Eren's tabled and pointed at it. Then, she asked in a soft but stale voice: "May I sit here."

Eren stared at her in confusion, Jean also doing the same.

After a moment of awkwardness, Eren let out a "Sure."

Annie then pulled the chair back and sat down. She deadpanned Eren, leaving the man in a mix between fear and confusion.

Jean broke the silence with a wavering voice: "Uhh, Miss? Would you like to order anything?"

Annie simply replied: "Coffee, no milk," not even glancing at Jean.

Eren saw Jean nod and disappear out of his view to make the coffee. When he looked back at Annie, he saw the short woman fiddling with her iPhone. _What the hell?_ Eren thought, _She's staring at me like a dead animal one second, and now, she's using her phone?_

Jean arrived a minute later with a cup of steaming coffee, and placed it in front of Annie.

Then, Annie proceeded to pick up the cup of steaming-hot coffee, and chug it down in a matter of seconds. She nonchalantly placed the cup back onto the table, her expression not wavering as she continued her phone's administrations.

Eren had his phone ready to call and ambulance, and Jean looked like he saw a ghost. _W-what __**is**__she?_ Eren thought.

He questioned her humanity and got up from the table. He was about to walk away when he felt a firm hand grip his wrist. Eren nearly jumped out of his skin. He glanced down and noticed that it was Annie who was holding him.

Before Eren could question her, the woman pleaded in a soft tone that didn't match the grip of her hand: "Stay."

Eren froze, not sure what to do. _Why does he want me to stay?_

The chime of the bells and the draft of wind that was suddenly released meant one thing: customer.

Eren glanced up and towards the door. He saw Mikasa in a dark, long sleeved blouse. Erin was startled when he noticed her wearing the maroon scarf he gave her. _It's not that cold._ She looked surprisingly angry, her thin eyebrows furrowed and long lashes clumped together. She glanced at Eren, then at Annie.

Eren looked down at the blonde woman, who was also staring back at Mikasa with a face full of anger.

"Uhh… hey, Mikasa," Eren said awkwardly, not knowing what was going down.

"Hey, Eren," Mikasa replied, not sparing him a glance. Instead, she marched towards Annie. Annie, in turn, stood from her seat. The two continued the death stare towards each other, with clueless Jean and Eren by-standing.

Suddenly, Annie let go of Eren, shoved past Mikasa, and marched out the exit. Jean uselessly tried to ask her if she would like anything else, to no avail. The blonde simply walked out the door. But, before he did, Eren noticed her glance back at him, with pure sadness in her eyes. Then, she disappeared into the streets.

Eren blinked hard, then turned to Mikasa. "Uhh," he began to ask, "W-what just happened?"

Mikasa was still looking at the doorway, then turned to Eren and smiled softly. "Nothing, Annie and I just had a little history. Let's sit down."

Eren did what he was told a took his seat, Mikasa sitting in the seat opposite to him.

Then, Mikasa asked a question that startled him: "How do you know Annie?"

Eren scratched the back of his head, trying to find a satisfying answer. "Umm," he began, "I don't really know her actually, she's just a customer."

Mikasa leaned in slightly. "Nothing else?"

Eren had no idea what her question meant, but he tried to give her a legitimate answer. "Umm… no." After answering, Eren could hear the softest of sighs leaves Mikasa's lips.

Eren raised his eyebrow, but brushed it off when he heard his stomach rumble. Mikasa smirked at him, and Eren turned around and shouted towards the kitchen: "Yo, Jean! Get over here!"

Eren turned his head back towards Mikasa, who was still smirking. "What?!" he defended.

The dark-haired woman simply shook her head, "Nothing."

Eren heard the voice of an angry Jean walking towards him. "You're not my boss, Jaeger! Don't think you can-"

Eren was waiting for Jean to continue his whining, but noticed he stopped dead in his tracks. Eren looked up at the horseface, and studied his expression: his cheeks were flushed red, and his eyes were deadest on Mikasa.

There were a few moments of silence, before Mikasa spoke up: "I'll have a blueberry muffin and plain coffee, please."

"Me, too," Eren said.

Jean was unfazed, he just continued to stare at Mikasa. _Perv_,Eren thought.

Mikasa maintained her stoic expression, but she was also fidgeting.

_That's enough_. Eren flicked Jean on the forehead, snapping the idiot back to reality.

Jean's head turned so red that Eren thought it would explode. _Idiot_, Eren thought as he bit back a laugh.

"UMM…," Jean began, "G-give me a s-sec to get your o-order!" Jean turned around and started to walk away, but paused. He tilted his head and looked at Mikasa. "Y-your hair is beautiful."

Eren almost gagged.

Mikasa glanced at Jean, her face unchanged. "Thank you," then she looked back at Eren.

Eren heard Jean march away angrily and couldn't hold back a chuckle.

Mikasa raised and eyebrow. "What?"

Eren shook his head and regained his composure. "Nothing," he grinned at Mikasa, "Nothing at all."

He swore he saw a tint of scarlet in her cheeks as she fiddled with her maroon scarf.

"Hey," Eren began, "How come you're wearing that scarf? It's not cold at all."

Mikasa paused before replying and blinked slowly. "I am, and it keeps me warm."

_What?_ Eren had met too many mysterious women, lately. He rubbed his bleary eyes and took a sip of water."What's up with you and Annie?"

Upon the mention of that name, Mikasa scowled. "We box at the same gym."

Eren almost spurted the water out of his mouth. He closed his eyes and gulped it down, wiping his mouth afterwards. After a moment, he started in disbelief: "You b-box?!"

Mikasa nodded, but only slightly. "Well," she began, "not as a career. I'm an accountant, but I box in my free time." Her fingers clenched into fists, "Annie and I are sort of rivals."

"Rivals, huh?" Eren leaned back against his chairs, pondering that term. _Maybe they're like me and Jean?_ Eren slightly shook his head. _No, Jean's just an idiot. All we do is fight_.

Eren suddenly realized Mikasa was staring at him, so he decided to change the topic. He leaned onto his elbows and began speaking: "Well, we kind of met on," he paused, "_weird _circumstances." He rested his jaw on his fist. "Why don't we start over?"

Mikasa's eyes widened and a smile tugged at her lips. "Okay," she nodded.

"Well," Eren brought his hand to his chin in thought. "My name's Eren, Eren Jaeger."

Mikasa pointed at herself. "I'm Mikasa Ackerman."

_Ackerman_, Eren began to think. _That's not a foreign name, but Mikasa is._ "Well," he started again, taking another swig of his water. "Since you told me you like to box, I'll tell you I like watch tv and sleep."

Mikasa chuckled lightly, and Eren smiled. He didn't know why, but he felt triumphant when he made her laugh, when he broke her composure. But, it was just a nice sound in general.

He didn't want this conversation to end after that. "So, does your family also live around this area?"

At this, Mikasa's eyelids dropped and she looked at the table. "I don't really have any family," she started a slow voice, "not since…"

_Shit,_ Eren panicked, _I cannot believe I just did this. Come on, think!_ "Sorry, I know how you feel."

Mikasa's head shot up and startled Eren. "You do?," she asked.

Eren looked down and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I lost my mom in a car accident when I was nine," he paused, "And my dad, well, he kind of went unstable and just took off. I didn't hear from him since." Eren continued looking down, when he felt something soft and warm grip his hand. His eyes shot up and noticed that it was Mikasa, her eyes piercing his soul.

"My parents were killed in a robbery a week ago," she began as Eren's watched her intently. "I cried non-stop for days, I thought I could just die. Until," she gripped her scarf and beads of tears began forming in her eyes. "Until, you came."

Eren gulped, heat entering his body through their hands. "Umm…," he blushed, "That was nothing. All I did was give you a scarf."

"Exactly," she cut him off.

Eren looked at her, confused.

She answered him, "You took time out of your life to give me this," she gestured toward the scarf, "and that meant more than anything."

Eren went silent. _That doesn't make any sense._ Mikasa trapped him under her gaze, and he couldn't break free. The tension was as thick steel, until two plates were placed down onto the table.

Eren quickly retracted his hand, Mikasa doing the same. Eren could see Jean scurrying away at the corner of his eye, and smirked.

They both delved into their muffins, blueberry staining Eren's teeth. After chugging down a good amount of water, Eren started speaking: "I should introduce you to my best friend Armin. He lives in the same complex as us, and runs the Arlert bookstore down the street."

"Mhmm," Mikasa replied, "That'd be nice."

_This is great,_ Eren thought. Talking to her felt so right and calm, though he didn't know why. Mikasa was technically his friend, but he felt disappointed when he thought of the term 'friend' for Mikasa, it just didn't… feel right.

The sound of Levi's voice killed the mood: "JAEGER! GET BACK TO WORK!"

Eren almost fell out of his seat. He looked at Mikasa and began speaking fast: "S-sorry, I gotta go if I want to live."

"Now?" Mikasa asked in a sad voice that stung Eren's heart.

Eren nodded slowly, and Mikasa's head shot down. She looked like a lost puppy. _I can't leave her like this_.

A light bulb flickered over Eren's head as he pulled out a pad and pen from his pocket. Mikasa stared at him curiously as he scribbled down his phone number.

Eren ripped the sheet out and handed it to Mikasa. "Here," he started, blushing lightly, "You can call and talk to me whenever you want."

The woman's face brightened at that, and she accepted the sheet of paper. "Anytime?" she questioned.

Eren nodded, grinning.

Mikasa ripped off the bottom half of the paper and began scribbling her own number down, much to Eren's surprise.

She extended the sheet out towards him, and Eren merrily accepted it. _Not enough_, he thought, remembering Mikasa's lonely expression. "You know," he scratched the back of his head, "Since you're new here, I can show you around. And,if you just want to hang out."

Mikasa blinked.

Eren began to panic, "I-If you want, I mean." He turned his head slightly to hide his flushed expression.

"Yes!," Mikasa responded, elatedly

Eren was startled, she had answered so enthusiastically. He studied her face and saw that she was blushing, too.

"Jaeger," Levi called, "Hurry up! I'm not paying you if you don't get your ass back to work!"

Eren shot once last grin back at Mikasa, before scurrying off. He squeezed the paper in his hand and shoved it into his pocket. _I have a good feeling about this_.


	3. Introductions

**Yeah Woooo Third chapter! Sorry that it has been a month, I've just been caught up in life. I didn't really have the time to write a chapter this long, but I found a kink in my schedule and basically shat this out, so please forgive me if the chapter isn't entertaining or has grammatical mistakes. Thankfully, I have more free time because of break starting from next week, so I'll definitely upload more of this. Thank you for all the reviews, they really give me a good understanding of where this fiction stands.**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter, it's when the _juicy_ bits and drama come into play. I think you guys will enjoy it a lot. Once again, thank you and stay tuned for more.**

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"Over there is the bakery." Eren pointed his finger towards the building.

Mikasa's eyes followed his hand and glanced at the bakery, it radiated a pleasant smell.

Eren invited Mikasa to show her around town. He figured it would be a nice thing to do for a new neighbor, but a part of him also wanted to walk around with her.

The noise of bustling people and speeding cars was quieter than usual, seeing that today was a Saturday.

Eren glanced down at Mikasa, who was a couple of inches shorter than his six-foot height. "Do you need anything?" He asked.

Mikasa shook her head without giving a thought.

Eren sighed. "Since I'm here, we might as well get some stuff. It's going to be hard for you to know where to go to get things if I'm not here later."

Mikasa paused for a moment, then nodded.

Eren grinned looked back at the town. "What do you need?"

The dark-haired woman brought her hand to her chin, and thought for a moment. Then, she looked back at Eren. "Boxing gloves?"

The emerald-eyed man squinted in thought. _Where would someone get boxing gloves around here?_ A light bulb flickered over Eren's head, and his eyes shot towards Mikasa. "Reiner runs a sports shop. I'm not sure if we'll get any gloves, but it's worth a try. Follow me." Eren's hand grasped Mikasa's, until he heard a gasp from the girl. Her ivory skin was flooded with scarlet, and eyes wide. Eren looked down at their connected hands and realized what he had done. He jumped backwards, disconnecting, and blushed bright red. _What is wrong with me?_ "I-uhh-sorry! I didn't mean-"

"It's alright." She cut him off.

Mikasa eyes dwindled over Eren's hand, and her eyebrows arched downwards.

Eren studied her expression, unsure how she was feeling. _She looks almost… disappointed._

There was an awkward silence, with both of them staring at the sidewalk below.

_Think. think_, Eren yelled inside his mind. _This is getting too weird._ "Umm…," he started.

Upon hearing his voice, Mikasa's head shot up."What?" She asked, quickly.

"Why don't we head to Reiner's shop?" Eren offered.

Mikasa simply stared and then answered with a smile: "Yes."

Eren led the way as he and Mikasa walked down the street. He made sure to walk ahead of her so that their hands would not brush together. _Wouldn't want another awkward moment. _

Eren glanced behind him, and noticed Mikasa walking with her head down. _It must be taking too long_. "We're almost there, sorry," Eren told her.

Mikasa's head shot up in surprise. "No, it's okay."

Eren raised an eyebrow. _If she wasn't bothered by the walk, then what?_ _Oh, _Eren assumed, _it must be because of me_.

The man turned around again. "Sorry, I know I'm not that entertaining."

At this, Mikasa's eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, you are," she began, "I wouldn't want anyone else… showing me around."

"Um… thank you." Eren turned around and continued walking. _Too many strange women._

Eren recognized a familiar street name, and looked up. The store was one of the larger ones, and had 'Braun' labeled across a banner hanging from the front entryway.

Eren turned to Mikasa, who looked back at him. "We're here," he said with a smile.

They both crossed the street and entered into the store. At first glance, it would seem old and run down. But upon closer inspection, the equipment was visibly new.

Eren walked down the aisles, Mikasa in tow. After turning a shelf full of sneakers, Eren spotted a counter and a familiar man standing within it.

"Reiner!" Eren greets.

The tall, bulky man was scrubbing the counter with cleaning spray and Kleenex. Upon hearing Eren's voice, the man stopped and returned the greetings. "Hey, Eren!"

Eren led Mikasa towards Reiner Braun, and began exchanging conversation. "How're you keeping up?"

Reiner shrugged and brushed his long fingers through his short, golden hair. "Jackets," he replied, "Kids nowadays are crazy about those jackets."

Eren nodded in agreement, and noticed Reiner turn his head to Mikasa. _Shoot, I should introduce her._

Before the Eren could say anything, Reiner examined Mikasa head to toe with a smirk. Then, he faced Eren and let out a small chuckle. "How did you manage to get this beauty in your grasp?"

Eren blushed and glanced at Mikasa, who did the same.

Before he could clear things up himself, Mikasa interrupted: "I'm just his friend," in a cool tone, though her voice faltered.

Reiner sighed sarcastically and looked at Eren. "You just got shot down, buddy."

The emerald-eyed man made no comment and turned his head towards the speaker, who was now Mikasa.

"No, you misunderstand," she began, slight scarlet flooding her ivory skin. She looked at a clueless Eren and began spurting out words again: "No, I mean… It's just that, there's got to be someone better suited for you."

Eren continued staring, awkwardly, not particularly caring about this conversation, but felt a strange sensation tug in his chest.

"I mean, I wouldn't…" Mikasa mumbled, trailing off inaudibly.

Eren sighed and turned towards Reiner, who was simply staring with an amused expression glued to his narrow face. _What just happened in the last couple of seconds?_ Eren thought. "Um…," he began, "Actually, we're here for… gloves, right?"

Eren glanced at Mikasa, and realized she was staring with a strange expression of anticipation on her face. _What is wrong with the people in this town? Wait, maybe it's just me… Naahh._

Upon meeting Eren's eyes, Mikasa diverted her gaze. "Yes… boxing gloves, to be exact."

Eren inspected Reiner, he leaned onto the counter for a few seconds, still amused.

The emerald-eyed boy raised an eyebrow, signaling Reiner to speak: "We don't have a variety," he began as a he opened the half-door in the counter and began walking down aisles. "But," he said as he turned around, facing Eren and Mikasa, "It's quality, not quantity, isn't it?"

"Ugh," Eren commented, "Please don't say that, you remind me of Jean."

Mikasa glanced at Eren, who nodded, and they followed Reiner through the store.

While walking through the aisles, Eren searched around to see if there was anything that caught his interest. He wasn't too much of an exercise fanatic, but he did work out regularly, and that made him quite the athlete. After inspecting the items, he came to a conclusion: _Nothing but golf equipment_, he sighed in his mind.

It wasn't long until Reiner stopped them. "Here," the large man splayed his arms outwards, displaying an aisle full of boxing and kick-boxing equipment. "Take a look and see if there's anything you like, I'll be at the counter."

"Thanks, Reiner," Eren said.

Reiner nodded and disappeared around the aisle.

"So," Eren began as he shifted towards Mikasa. "See anything interesting?"

Mikasa examined the shelves which were filled with pricey, colored gloves. Her eyes widened upon a specific pair, and she plucked it out from the rack. "This brand," she started, looking at Eren, "It's the one I use."

Eren clapped his hands together, "Alright, is that all?"

She glanced around, then nodded her head.

Eren laid the gloved down on the counter.

"Ahh," Reiner noted as he scanned the gloves, "the Kyojin brand. Nice selection." After pressing a few buttons the man faces Eren and Mikasa. "That will be $25.99"

Mikasa reached for her purse, but Eren stopped her. "I got it."

She tried to stop him but Eren pulled out his wallet and handed Reiner a credit card.

"Come again," Reiner insisted as he handed Eren a plastic bag which contained the gloves.

When they left the building, Eren handed Mikasa her gloves. "Here you go."

She smiled and took the bag in her hands. "Thank you, Eren."

They paused at the curb of the street. "I guess that's it," Eren stated, glancing down at the woman.

Mikasa's eyes widened as she blurted: "Wait."

Eren raised an eyebrow and looked at her questioningly. "You want to go somewhere else?"

She nodded, awaiting an answer.

Eren scrunched is eyebrows together, thinking of possible destinations. _What else can I show her?_ He sighed inside his mind, _if Armin was here, he would know_. He came to a realization and almost slapped himself.

"You know my friend Armin, the one I told you about?" Eren asked.

Mikasa thought for a second and nodded. "He owns a bookstore, right?"

* * *

As soon as they opened the doors to the store, Eren and Mikasa were greeted with the pleasant scent of new books. Even though Eren did not read much, he still visited the bookstore to waste time.

The store was small, and old, being that it was built by Armin's grandfather. The wood sustaining the building was creaky, but Eren believed the weary condition gave the store a serene essence.

Eren's eyes shot towards the counter, trying to locate his blonde friend. Eren tilted his head forward to instruct Mikasa to follow him as he walked down an aisle of books and shelves.

As he turned the corner, Eren notice not one, but two blonde heads. In front of him stood, Annie, who was staring at Armin with an unenthusiastic expression. Armin, however, appeared absolutely ecstatic as he explained to Annie the book that was dangling from her fingertips.

Suddenly noticing Eren and Mikasa's presence, Annie diverted her apathetic gaze from Armin towards the pair, eyes widening in shock.

Eren could almost feel the hatred radiate between Annie and Mikasa, he uncomfortably took a step back.

Armin soon realized they had entered and turned around. "Eren!" He called.

"Uh… hey, Armin," Eren replied with a shaky voice, noticing the tension thickening the air.

"Who's your friend?"

"Well, she's new in town and I was just showing her around."

Armin raised an eyebrow and smugly smirked.

"Don't look at me like that!" Eren defended. "Besides," he began bobbing his head towards Annie, "what's going on in your department?"

Armin blushed furiously. "I was just giving her the synopsis of a book!"

"_Sure_," Eren said sarcastically. "Are you running out of memory in your camera?" He smirked heavily at Armin's furious reaction, and was about to make another sharp retort when he felt something tug his arm.

Eren turned and noticed Mikasa, who glared at Annie for another second, before turning to Armin.

"Oh… Armin, I just wanted to introduce-" Eren began, but Armin cut him off with a whisper: "Sorry guys, could we do this another time?"

Eren smirked and nodded to head. Then he looked at Mikasa, whispering: "He's busy."

Armin stepped towards Annie to continue drabbling, but she nonchalantly turned around and walked towards the exit.

"Wait!" Armin called, taking another step.

The blond woman paused for a second and looked back. "What?"

"Don't you want to hear the rest?" Armin asked with desperation in his voice.

"No," she replied coldly, disappearing before exiting the doorway.

Eren could practically see the wave of sadness crash into his best friend. He was about to cheer Armin up, but noticed something outside the doorway. It was Annie, giving Eren that same expression of sadness she had given him before she departed from the coffee shop.

What came next was a feeling Eren couldn't recognize, like odd guilt.

Eren made his way towards the door, but was quickly caught by Mikasa once again. "Where are you going?" She asked rapidly.

Eren hesitated, trying to form a reasonable sentence. "I think she wants to tell me something, I'll be back." He prepared to leave, but was stopped once again. "Don't go," Mikasa said weakly.

Eren raised an eyebrow and politely shrugged Mikasa off. "I'll be back in a minute, wait here." He felt her grip disappear and he exited the store.

He checked the street, the street around the curb, and the opposite street, but there was no sign of Annie.

Eren sighed and walked back into the bookstore, defeated. "She's gone," Eren looked at Mikasa, "I should walk you back before it gets late. I'll introduce you two later." Then he shifted towards Armin, "Catch'a later, Armin."

His departure was stopped by Armin's voice: "Wait."

"What's up?" Eren asked turning and raising an eyebrow.

"Do you… know Annie?" Armin asked, his eye's staring intently for an answer.

"Nope, never even had a talk with her." At this, Armin's shoulders dropped in relief, and peculiarly to Eren, so did Mikasa's.

"Alright then, see you later, Eren." The blonde glanced at Mikasa with a smile, "It was nice to meet you, Mikasa. We'll have a proper introduction at another time, if you'd like."

Mikasa nodded as Eren led her outside.

The sun was just setting over the horizon, producing a mellow, orange gleam to cast above the town.

The pair walked silently towards the apartment complex for a minute, until Eren initiated conversation: "So, are going to bust some skulls with your new gloves?"

Mikasa chuckled gently. "The whole purpose of the gloves is to stop that from happening."

"Oh…," Eren commented in realization, causing Mikasa to giggle more. It was a pleasant sound, a sound he wanted to hear more.

"I would love to see you in action," Eren said with a smile.

"I can bring you with me to the gym, if you want," Mikasa asked, looking intently at Eren.

Eren smirked. "_Ooh_, a date?" He joked as he let out a loose laugh. Turning back towards Mikasa, he was surprised to see her blushing and staring at the ground below.

"Wait," Eren began in anticipation, "_is_ it a date?"

Mikasa's eyes widened for a moment as she looked back at Eren. "Do you want it to be?"

The emerald-eyed man soon found himself blushing as well. _Do I_? "I mean…," he started, stilling diverting his gaze elsewhere, "what kind of date would it be if I just watched you kick ass?"

Mikasa didn't answer for a couple of seconds, "maybe…," she began, scarlet returning to her pale cheeks, "you could spar _with_ me?"

Eren was bewildered; he was not so interesting in getting pummeled, though the thought of a date with Mikasa oddly thrilled him. "Yeah, that would be nice."

Mikasa's face lit up as she smiled the widest he'd ever seen. "Tomorrow?" She suggested.

Eren almost laughed out loud - it wouldn't have mattered if he had plans anyway. "Sure."


End file.
